A Simple Guide to Getting a Free USPS PO Box

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See if you qualify for a free PO Box in the US

Co-authored by Fahim and Seema Mojawalla and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: April 1, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Qualifications
|
• How to Apply
|
• What to Keep in Mind
|
• How to Get a Free PO Box (UK)
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

It’s possible to get a free USPS Post Office Box if you live at a permanent address that isn’t on your local USPS delivery route. Applying for this box is as simple as stopping by your local post office—and we’re here to walk you through the process. We’ve even covered how to get a PO Box for free in the UK with a quick trip to the UK PostBox website.

How can you get a free PO Box?

You can get a free PO Box if you aren’t on a USPS delivery route. To get your free box, head to your local post office with 2 different types of ID and fill out a 1093 application form.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Qualifications to Get a Free PO Box

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1. 
   1
   You need to live or work within the zip code parameters of a USPS office. USPS branches only deliver within a certain radius, so make sure you live in an area that’s serviced by a local branch.
2. 
   2
   You need to live or work from a spot that isn’t on a USPS delivery route. If you live in an apartment or home that gets mail delivered via cluster mailboxes, you unfortunately don’t qualify for a free PO Box. People who get their mail delivered via mailrooms or other collective delivery systems also can’t apply.
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3. 
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   You must live or work from a place that’s legally accessible by USPS. The USPS can’t deliver to certain locations because of low-quality roads, private neighborhoods, secure communities, specific ordinances, and dangerous circumstances. If one of these factors prevents you from being on a USPS delivery route, you don’t qualify for a free PO Box.
4. 
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   You need to live or work out of at a permanent address. USPS doesn’t grant free PO boxes to people who live in or work out of temporary locations, like hotel rooms, college dorms, transient trailer parks, or campsites.
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Apply for a Free PO Box

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1. 
   Apply for the free PO Box in person at your local post office. Unfortunately, USPS doesn’t allow people to apply for free PO Boxes online. Instead, you’ll need to stop by your nearest post office and request to apply there. Bring a filled-out 1093 application form, along with 2 different types of ID (like a driver’s license and birth certificate). A USPS employee will help go over your information and get your PO Box set up.

   • If you can't print out the 1093 form ahead of time, don't worry! You can get one at the post office.
   • If you end up not qualifying for a free PO Box, you can still set up a paid one. As of February 2024, the smallest PO Box size costs around $5.
   • This box can be set up at the post office of your choice, even if it’s different from the one you applied at.

Section 3 of 4:

What to Keep in Mind

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1. 
   1
   Customers can only get 1 PO Box for free. If you want another PO Box in addition to your free one, you’ll have to pay the standard monthly fee. As of February 2024, the sizes and costs are:

   • XS: $4.83
   • S: $6.17
   • M: $9.17
   • L: $13.50
   • XL: $24
2. 
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   Customers get the smallest possible PO Box for their future mail. USPS will give you a PO Box that can handle the amount of mail you typically get. For some people, this might be an XS; for others, it might be something larger, like an S or M.
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Section 4 of 4:

How to Get a Free PO Box (UK)

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1. 
   Get a free PO Box in the UK using UK PostBox. UK PostBox lets customers set up a free PO Box that’s based in Dorset. Don’t live near there? That’s okay—UK PostBox offers plenty of digital services to help you access and read your mail wherever you are.

   • You can get a PO Box in a different location, like London, but you’ll have to pay a monthly fee.

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Tips

• The USPS lets homeless individuals apply for PO Boxes if they have proper ID and a consistent spot where they can be reached (like a shelter.) It also helps if a local USPS employee knows who the individual is.
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